Infectious agents found in and on building structures and surfaces of objects therein can lead to various health problems. Common offending infectious agents include microorganisms such as bacteria (e.g., gram negative rods such as Escherichia coli and gram-positive cocci such as Staphylococcus aureus). These and other bacteria can cause health problems such as dermal infections, respiratory infections, intestinal infections, and kidney disease. Also, pathogenic viruses such as influenza viruses are commonly found in buildings where they spread among those occupying the structure. Particularly, infectious agents within healthcare settings lead to healthcare-associated infections which, in turn, result in greater than a billion dollars in excess healthcare costs annually. These infections have created a challenge for healthcare management teams due to multi-drug resistant bacteria becoming commonplace in healthcare settings such as hospices, hospitals, and assisted-living or long-term care facilities.
Systems and methods designed to encourage, effect, monitor and enforce hand sanitation and other hygienic practices may aid in the reduction of the spread of infectious agents in healthcare settings, however, such measures alone are not sufficient. Thus, there remains a need for compositions and associated methods that prevent and reduce the presence of infectious agents in a variety of settings, including healthcare settings or facilities.